Flashermac Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 I personally think anyone who doubts the Jewish Holocaust happened has to be brain dead. Still, try denying it - or even challenging the figure of six million dead - in Germany, Austria and some other countries and you may end up spending years in jail. Isn't that law also a bit over the top? One can get in trouble in Turkey for daring to suggest that the Turks killed a million or more Armenians during WWI, even though it is well documented. But I don't see anyone getting their knickers into a bind over this. There are questionable laws around the world. Why the sudden crusade against Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 << Seems only when some dip shit farang does it, do we care. >> You've got it. Sounds like some folks long for the old days of extra-territoriality, when foreigners could not be tried in Thai courts, but instead had to be tried before their own country's courts set up on Thai soil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 << Seems only when some dip shit farang does it, do we care. >> You've got it. Sounds like some folks long for the old days of extra-territoriality, when foreigners could not be tried in Thai courts, but instead had to be tried before their own country's courts set up on Thai soil. Because it is a stupid law that the PM of Thailand supported in front of Western media. Just makes the whole country seem petty and backward. This was a big bonehead move, along with beating and setting adrift illegals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Hi, "There are questionable laws around the world." So? Two wrongs don't make a right. Laws like this (and the other you pointed out) don't belong in the 21st century. BTW, has anyone been jailed for breaking those other rules you mentioned? (maybe they have, just asking as I don't know) Ozpharlap: "I also consider, anyone who burns a country's flag, should be jailed." You are joking, right? Jailing someone for burning a piece of cloth??? Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozpharlap Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 You may look at it as a piece of cloth, I don't. I have had a close family member killed in the Vietnam war. He fought for a country, and the flag represents that country. A flag has a lot of sentimental value to many people. I do not restrict it to my flag; but anyone's flag in their country of origin. The burning of a flag shows utter contempt for a country IMHO. I am not saying, throw them away for life, 2-7 days should suffice. I maybe old fashion, but viva la difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khunsanuk Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Hi, I know what it represents, but I don't think that people should be jailed for disrespecting a country. "but viva la difference " And I guess that is the entire point of this, isn't it? The freedom to have a different opinion and the freedom to express that. Sanuk! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogon Posted February 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 We all know LOS has "strange laws" (backwards if you wish to call them so) and they are applied in a "random" fashion following who you are and who you know. But, shouldn't we look in our own garden before throwing stones for a minor incident about a prick who knowingly broke the law as a visitor of the country? - Flag: I remember some comments about seemingly well educated Americans, when I was in Virginia and a US flag was being burnt on CNN.... -> "kill these sandpeople bastards" etc... This is scary as no law in the USA says that people should be sentenced to death for having burnt the American flag...(oh and these fellows meant it) I didn't dare ask what US truck drivers would have done to these sandpeople.... - Germany: Plenty of people have been sentenced to jail and fined for having questioned the holocaust/Shoah -> same for other EU countries where the crime of Historical revisionism (negationism) can also lead you to jail. - Turkey: No need to even talk about this as hundreds (if not thousands, didn't mind counting) of Turks have ended up in Jail for either trying to admit Turkey committed a genocide in Armenia or for questioning Mustapha Kemal... (in the case of the genocide: The Turks were mainly intellectuals and in the case of Kemal they were mainly Muslims) -> the most scary? This is not even written in the law at least for LOS the law exists... - Libel cases: Plenty of recent examples in the west, most recent ones are in France -> people (journalists mainly) who "published" unsavory articles (at least for the Elysée) about the President....-> some ended up with jail terms and hefty fines. Plenty of other cases in various western countries. My take on this, yes LOS has some backward customs but I don't see why we have to flame the country for such a minor event...after all, the majority of you live in this country so it means you are not that repulsed by the country and its laws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 The case had become a real cause celebre in Australia, says the BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney, with Mr Nicolaides's imprisonment violating a basic Australian sense of fair play. He has had his fifteen minutes .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lazyphil Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 <> because europeans in their condesending, self righteous belief think they know best (of course the holocaust happened but what happened to freedom of speach, cant germany cranks will deny it), like a maiden aunt. fuck this tossbag, he knew the risks but played his silly little game and cried when he got busted, no FUCK him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozpharlap Posted February 22, 2009 Report Share Posted February 22, 2009 Hi, And I guess that is the entire point of this, isn't it? The freedom to have a different opinion and the freedom to express that. Sanuk! Excellent point, however restrictions on marginal freedoms are not necessarily detrimental to societal evolution. The evolution of morals is questionable in the first place. All societies criminalize some behavior; revolutionaries seek to overcome the prohibitions. Imagine a society, which allows everything: it would soon be ruined by mad social experimentation. Lese Majeste is not the main issue, the main issue is malicious defamation. I have not read this guy's writings nor wish to, if they are malicious against another person, royal or not, then they are wrong. However, Khunsanuk's point is still valid, the freedom to express is sacrosanct however, all things being equal, some things may just be better, unsaid. If, LM is deemed offensive, then an upswell in the country may have that law thrown out - however, it is a matter for the Thais. It makes me recall a line from the John Wayne film, The Sons of Katie Elder, Budd Elder, "He called our dad a lyin drunk". John Elder (John Wayne), "Well, I guess that's what he was". The point, it is a matter for family and country to say it, not us. Harry, for whatever reasons wrote something, for an advantage - probably his advantage to create book sales, which did not eventuate. His advantage, at the expense of another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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